Noah, Princess of Ice
by VikaChii
Summary: Noah, princess of Pristine, was fearsome, gruesome, and a terrible tomboy. When she meets the one person whom she knows cares for her, fate carves her path and maybe, it drives her through the wrong direction. What can she do? ..First fanfic warning.
1. Chapter 1

There on the top of the empire, stood a tiny ruler, only the age of fifteen. Giving out orders absurd and crazily, her name Noah. "No! I do not want her to live! Kill her immediately!" would be something regular for her to say.

Luckily, she remembered a young ruler should not be seen in these kinds of ways. She look a bath in the nearest well, she remembered clearly… water rippling as she stuck her dainty, small feet into the water. Soon after she put her feet into the water, the water started to turn rosey pink, then to deeper pink, leading to a deep, deep crimson red as she slowly submerged her body into the slightly warm water.

Smirking at the actions of her citizens down below from her balcony, up above the ground, in her castle. The castle could be seen from afar. It stood out so much, it differs from the tiny, one to two story, white, brown, brick houses. It stood up tall, white with blue accents, far nicer than the other ones, with large stained glass windows that inside, you could see pretty images hidden in the colors reflected from it. Pires from the top stood out large and tall, while turrets lines the edges of the castle. Painted to be the princess' favorite color, the workers worked endless days and nights to get it to her liking. She whipped them, made them go through so much pain, only to paint her castle. Knowing that she would be there until her death, they had to make it perfect, estimated about 50 workers died in that single project.

The poor princess only at the age of fourteen, soon to be fifteen, lived not-so-happily in her castle, knowing the way she acted was unacceptable., and will have to be forced to do something soon, for everyday, she had to put people up in her dungeon for protesting about the way she acted below near the gate of her castle. Sighing, she understood the words her mother said before she died, "Noah. At the age of fifteen, I want you to go and marry another. Change is good. The other doesn't have to be a royal. Just so it be pure love. Be kind. Do not lead wars. Wear your combat clothes at all times when outside. The fiercer you are, the more the people will rally and horrible things will happen. Do not let this happen." By now, Noah could care less, for she had the entire Pristine empire underneath her, but she didn't want to upset her long-gone mother, who had hopefully made her way to heaven and was happier then how she was when she was alive.

Her servants dropped one-by-one, she was running low, so she had ordered for someone to go and scout for someone who could be her servant. She wanted most preferably, thought they could do better than females, for they could lift heavier things, are in an amount stronger and easier to rely on. Her last seen servant was used as her foot stool. Imagine, the pain in your knees and the dirt in your hands, and you would be whipped every time you did something wrong. There are good things to working for Noah though. You'd get paid an insane amount, the younger you are, the easier it is said, she will go on you, and you will considered a half royal. She will let you eat with her, and her favorite (She couldn't help but show at least SOME favoritism.)She was actually quite nice to.

Her servant came back later that day, with what seemed like a reasonable butler. He was quite short, nearly shorter than her. With pure blue, cerulean, ocean like eyes. '_Its almost like if you stare into them, you can see your self at sea, ike by the port by the outskirts of town…" _

Before she knew it, her servant was face to face with her, her face streaming with tears. Could his eyes have triggered a distant memory? Ah, yes they did. Noah was not an only child. She had a brother. HAD. He's gone. "L-long gone…" Is all you hear. She sniffles every five tears are seen staining her perfect doll-like face. Her vivid green eyes were shut closed, tears letting go.

Then, she realized what she did. "Im sorry." She pushed him out of the way, clearly embarrassed, stormed out of that room, into the room with the big stain-glass window. Why? Inside that room, it was filled with books, many genres, not one was the same. She felt as if she read one book, she could be inside, as if she was the main character, no matter what gender, she would partake in these adventures. "Where to next?" frowning, she looked at the many books stacked neatly in clean, dusted shelves before her. Wiping away her tears using her sleeve of her dress, she looked at one book curiously, "I haven't seen you before, have I?" slowly reaching out for it, her dainty hands with nails painted teal, her favorite color, she grasped the book by its binding, pulled it out, looking at the empty gap left. _Just like my heart… Gaps…Too heavy to think of. _

Looking down at her chest, she touched the place where her heart was, feeling it cold, unlike the rest of her body, warm to the touch, her heart, she felt like a beast at times. _No, don't cry, you're too powerful to, what would they think of you then? Gaps are nothing. Leap over them. Move on. It'll b-be f-f-fine… _Repeating that in her mind, slowly saying it, she fell to her knees, bawling her eyes out.

"Why! I miss you! L-luke! Come back!" She sat on the floor sobbing, looking up at the ceiling, hands curled up into fists, tears streaming down her cheeks, not seeming to stop. At that same time her servant, who just changed into his clothes, walked into the library, stumbling upon the princess on the floor sobbing. Looking down at her, he couldn't help but feel bad. He kneeled down beside her, gave her a hug. Her eyes widened at his touch, not even knowing his name, yet he was holding her. She HATED, absolutely DESPISED being touched. Yet, she let him, trying to calm herself, she clutched his shirt, staining his shoulder with her tears, hugging him back. "I-I'm sorry, I s-stained your sh-shirt… You sh-hould get a n-new one on. Salty tears make it tighter. It'll be uncomfortable." She spoke, stifling her sniffles with a failure.

"Ah, princess, I will if you want me to, but please, whenever you are feeling down, don't be afraid to come to me for comfort, dearest princess. I'm Shiro, the new servant. Lovely to meet you. Now," He took his glove off and wiped her cheek dry of tears, "Lets go be happy." And with that, he grabbed her hand, pulled her up, hugged her once more. Tucking a strand of her pure brown hair behind her ear, "It's horrible for such a pretty face to be so sad." Whispering that into her ear, she looked at him.

_Shiro, nice name…Oh! Its the guy with beautiful cerulean eyes! Ah, so pretty, like the sea… _She looked at him, studying his facial features, his body curves, and the way he dresses, for of course, she needs to know what he servant is like. _H-he's nice… cut- what am I saying! Have I turned soft? _Instinctively, she reached over to her heart and put her hand over it.

"Something wrong?" She looked up to see who this voice was from, it was indeed Shiro. He was looking at her confused, for she had moved her hand over to her heart but was still silent. He was confused, maybe she was hurt? Maybe sh- no, what's he thinking… _I never realized what a cute person the princess was when she wasn't mad… Her face, like porcelain, Sure, she's fl- why am I looking there?! She's adorable in every other way…_

"Shiro… I'm going to shower. Please get my things and come to set them down." She walked away like his red, flustered face, was nothing to her. He put his hand over his heart and tried to calm himself down. (Not like it worked…)


	2. Chapter 2! Finally able to upload

That very moment, the castle erupt in flames.

The blazing heat could be felt miles around, flames making crinkling sounds, making the white turrets burnt black, crisp, almost as if they were stained with some sort of… karma. Quickly, he ran to grab the princess, sick of hearing the endless footsteps around the hall. Everyone was already evacuated, except he and the princess.

Searching, searching, searching… he couldn't find her. What if.. she was burnt to death…? No I would've heard her yell…. Where… Where is she!

He burst into her room, there she was, putting on one of her mother's necklaces. He could tell she was sweating from the heat erupting from the flames. The people outside were yelling, "Princess! Get out!" Pouring water buckets on the flames trying to calm it down. Nothing seemed to calm it, in fact, the water made it even fiercer.

He grabbed her hand, pulling her outside. She tripped, hurt herself quite bad. "Shiro! Ahn…" She layed there, hoping someone would notice.


	3. Chapter 3

She was woken up by her servant.

"..." Was all she heard. She was sure he was moving his mouth… It just seemed she couldn't hear… Slowly, she reached up her hand to his mouth, watching as it continued to move…

"I can't hear you…"

He seemed to say...What?

"I can't hear you…"

She motioned to her ears and shook her head. "You… can't hear?"

The doctor came in with news.

She laid there in the bed motionless. Deep down, she was crying. She wouldn't be able to hear anymore. It seemed she hit a nerve connecting her brain and her ear, making her deaf.

Tears welling up in her eyes, she looked down and blinked, getting rid of evidence that she was crying. It didn't work. She watched as the white bed sheets became gray, stained with her crystal like tears. How they glistened in the light that came from the corner of the room's window. Peering out of it, you could see a large portion of town. She blinked and looked again. Where was her castle? She blinked again. Where was it? It was usually to the direction of the right. Where was it?

She blinked once more. Remembering the incident, the whole castle erupting in flames, the one person who there a lit match on the side of the castle. She gritted her teeth, repeating in her mind, I'll catch him… I'll catch him…

She burst into tears again. She didn't care this time. Who ever saw, saw. Shiro watched as the deaf princess sat on the hospital bed and began to cry. Yelling out, though she couldn't hear herself, "What have I done to deserve this!?" Doctors watch, pitifully they wish they could do something.

"Hey, she can't hear, right?"

"I say she deserves it."

"My son was drafted to be her servant."

They kept on talking, talking about her, Shiro decided it was enough. "You guys are absurd! She lost her family! Why else would she be so cruel, she's just undecided, she's hurt! God, she looks like an angel when she's asleep!" He realized what he had said. His face turned beet red, his heart beating faster and faster by the second, the doctors laugh out.

"Ha! Angel? She whips you, doesn't she? She probably gave you some… poison to make you think that!"

"N-No! Not at all!" He yelled, trying to defend his princess.

"Look! Your friends! They are beat every day! Its like- Do you even care! Or are you too busy taking care of your 'angel', Huh?"

That brought him to silence. He hadn't realized that all the other servants were afraid of her. She had seemed so… peaceful. She looked so… untroubled when she cried. Its like she finally let go of everything she was holding back. He knew what she had gone through, with no mother, no brother, she was raising a whole empire by herself. The troubles and pain SHE must go through, all for her people. Yet, they didn't seem to care.

He did.


	4. Chapter 4

I cared. Even if she was the demonic princess that everyone hates- well, almost everyone. She looked so pretty under the sunlight, the way her pale face shone against the light, her small, plump, pink lips brilliantly glowed under the light too. She looked so- kissable at times.

She was an atheist at it too. She hated god. Hated praying. She thought it was useless. What was she to do now? Doctors spoke wrongly of her, nothing to cure it, god couldn't help her either.I want to do something… anything… If just… she would let me…

I sat down on the bed next to her, right away, she leaned over to me, wrapped her hands around my waist, continuing to cry.

"Its okay. I'll help you. We'll find a way." I put my chin on her head, tightening the hug a bit. She repeated what I had said.

"Is that way you said? I thought I heard you say it… I was probably wrong. Shiro… I-I missed your voice. Am I going insane?" She said even though she couldn't hear herself say it, but she could hear it in her head. My eyes widened.

"Y-You heard me?" She did? My, that would be wonderful! I looked at the doctors as they looked at her in astonishment.

"Y-Yeah! I-I heard you!" She said sniffling in between words. Instinctively I hugged her again. She could hear me… Only me…

"Can you hear them?" I pointed to the doctors. They came over and kneeled by her.

"Can you hear us, Miss?" He waved his hand in her face. I was disgusted at him. He treats her like a dog. She doesn't deserve that.

She pointed to her ear, shaking her head after. That was weird. She could hear me, but not them. "Are you faking?" I accidentally said out loud. She looked at me.

"Im not lying. I can't hear them. Don't act as if this was all a magic lie."

Those words hurt me. She trusted me. I broke off a piece of her heart. "Can you keep on smiling for me though?" I looked at her with pleading eyes. I took her into yet another embrace. For the girl who never smiles, I'll make her smile. A boy who grew up without happiness, and a girl who doesn't know it… How could I bring happiness to her?

They looked at me, then at her, then at me again. "Looks like you two have a very special… connection." What did they mean? "Connection?" "You can go in a few 'll just run one last test." I sighed, half relieved, half tired. Wait… Where were we going to go? The fire burned the castle down…

She looked at me and her eyes told me the same thing I thought. Where were we going to go? Doesn't matter. What does matter is she'll get to walk again.

I waited and waited. It was about thirty minutes until she was released. I ran to her again. I hugged her tight and sighed, grabbed her hand and walked out of the hospital. She was free. She could begin to smile again. Turn over a new leaf. Happy.


	5. Chapter 5

_Noah's Pov _

I can't hear… I can't hear anyone… I-I won't be able to do a lot of things anymore. My house is gone… What I hear are the whispers inside my head. _You're useless. Go away. You don't belong here. We hate you._ That last one hurt.

_We hate you._ Its kept repeating. _We hate you._ Its like a broken record. _We hate you._ I couldn't take it. The world became silent for me. I let it all go. I cried and cried and cried until no more tears fell. The bed's sheets were stained gray. I looked at Shiro and then at the doctors. They were talking about something. I saw them laughing.

I turned to look at Shiro. He was yelling at them. They were mocking him. I just couldn't make out what they were saying. Wait… I could hear Shiro… I can hear something! Just.. Shiro… Only.. Shiro…

_Useless._ The word popped into my head again. _Useless._ It drives me insane. _Useless._ The terms correct. I am useless. What use am I? I whip my servants. I drive people to do things. I lock people up. I'm nothing but a monster. A big, scary, monster.

_Stupid. Idiot. Child._ I've had enough of it. _Child._ I'm not a child anymore… I've gone through things most adults haven't...Can't the world give me a break?

I guess not.

I held in the pain. The doctors handed me a sheet. I looked at it. "_Sign Language for the Deaf" _It was at that point I wanted to throw myself. I had to use my hands to talk. No more hearing my voice. Only the others could hear it. I can't sing anymore. I can't play violin. Everything. How do I control? How do I.. do anything? I started to cough real bad, I used my hand to try to muffle the sound. I wanted to get out of the place. I stared around the room for a bit. White walls. White furniture. White floors. White everything. Their clothes. The lamps. My clothes. I got up. Their faces turned to me. "I want to go now."

"Princess! We don't have anywhere to go!" His voice. It pierced through my ears, into my brain. His voice, concerned, worried. The only one who has ever… felt for me. The only one I could hear.


	6. Chapter 6

Auto POV

He was worried. She was in pain. He wanted to stay. She wanted to leave. "We should stay! After all, we don't have anywhere to go…" She turned to him at his words.

"I want to go. Now." He cringed. Where would they stay? It wasn't proper for the princess to be living in the streets. She took his hand. He looked at her hand. Small. Tiny. Delicate. Precious. She pulled him off his feet, grabbed her clothes, walked out. Outside, he stood at the corner, waiting for her to finish changing, before, yet again, taking her small hand in his.

She looks beautiful… If only the world would recognize.

He looked at her face.

If only… I knew what happened to her before.

"Shiro…. I'm tired.." He heard her soft voice whisper. In a second, he picked her up bridal style. "Sh-Shiro?"

"It's fine princess. You aren't heavy." He nodded reassuringly. Right after he said that, she began to relax. Pretty soon, she fell asleep in his arms.

Walking around, he wandered, looking for a place where they might stay over for a night or was starting to get dark, the sunset turned the clouds a massive amount of colors, blue, purple, pink, orange. He thought everything was fine. No one disturbed them, no one hurt them, all was fine.

"This seems like a reasonable house…." Knock, knock, knock. He knocked three times. He made sure to cover her face with her cloak so they wouldn't be scared. A person came to look out the window. Hearing steps, then a lock turning, the door opened.

"H-Hello?" A fair aged woman and man stood in the entrance. "I-Is something wrong?"

"Im sorry, our house was burned down… We need a place to stay… I beg you, may we stay here for a night or two?" His voice seemed to charm the woman.

"S-Sure…" He nodded and smiled.

"Thank you."

"May I ask what your name is?" He looked at them, unsure whether to say the truth or not.

He decided to tell the truth. "My name's Shiro." She smiled and looked at him.

"Who's this?" She poked at Noah. She giggled slightly.

"This…?" He looked at Noah. "This is your princess."

Astonished, they couple looked at Shiro. "This? This is her highness?" Uncertain, they looked at her sleeping face. "My, she looks like an angel…"

"That's because she is." He smiled at Noah quietly.

"Do you know why she's like that?"

"Like what?"

"So… hurtful… merciless…"

"No… All I know is that both her mother and father died at a young age, and her brother is no longer here for her too. Her training was strict too…" He scowled at where the castle would be. All that was left was rubble.

"That's sad… Its reasonable though…" The woman looked down, guilty for having brought up the memory.

At that moment, Noah cringed and held her head. "Noah? What's wrong?"

"It hurts…" She looked very much in pain. "It… doesn't stop."Soft whimpers can be heard, escaping from her mouth.

"What does?" The woman answered. Noah held onto Shiro.

"What's she saying?" He had already forgotten she was world, dark, silent, yet they still ridiculed her. So much had happened that past month.

"Tell us what hurts." He embraced her, trying to get her to calm down.

A slow, yet loud response, "Everything."

He looked closer at her face. She was indeed crying. He used his thumb and wiped away her tears. "Can you explain why?"

She looked at him. All she thought was, Should I tell them? It wouldn't hurt, would it? At least I know Shiro wont laugh… All my worries would be lifted… No more weight on my shoulders anymore… I'll have someone to have a shoulder to cry on.. Someone to laugh with...Just like..Luke… She cried for a it, after calming down, she started.

"It all starts with me, being born into the Pristine was me, my older brother Luke, my mother; the queen, and my father; the ruler.I would play with Luke all the time, I sang for him, he played his music. Until I nearly caused his death.I was never the same... As I grew older, I would lock myself into my room, bored out of my mind, reading the same book over and would pick the lock, get into the room when I didn't notice, and was sucked into the book I would be reading. He would hug me, try to get me out of my room, but it never worked. My father soon grew ill. I still didn't have the guts to leave my room to see him. During this time, my mother would slip me notes, saying things like, "Your princess training will start tomorrow." To be honest, I was scared to death. My instructor would pull me out of my room. My only safe place. My room is filled with portraits of one… person… The prince of the Boretain family. I fell in love. I wanted him to myself. I sent him a marriage … declined. I was… so hurt. He fell in love with someone else. I spent half my time in my room sulking on how much I loved him, but he didn't love me back. I was 12. My body became very fragile. I was like a doll. Manipulated by a person to do things. My princess training was strict. He trained me in all the wrong ways. He taught me to be hard on people… To be mean so I could get what I want… It rubbed off on me a lot. I thought… I would get Kai to love me… It just made him hate me more… I burned his kingdom… I vowed I would get him one day… My mother was traveling at this time. I heard there was a really big storm across the seas where she was. She drowned later that day. My brother and I were chosen to decorate the castle black to tell the people both my parents were dead, but Luke would be stepping up to the plate… Luke died a day before his coronation. He couldn't take the pressure… I got out of my room once in a while… Just for Luke. I found him hung out the back window. It was a disgusting sight. But once I touched him, I felt like I loved this deep, red, divine liquid we all carry...Blood.I loved the way it felt on my fingertips. The way it looked. It drove me insane. Rumors spread that I killed him to take his place. Those idiots…I wouldn't kill Luke. I actually wanted him to be king. I felt like… I was the one who got all the attention. He would get it. I was happy for a while. Now..Its my turn… My mother gave me a letter before she left. I have to get married before coronation. I'm sorry mum… I can't fulfill your wish… Ever since they all died, I hear whispers. Ones telling me to die. They tell me mean things. It wont stop. It's my own mind. My mind knows what I hate… It used its advantage." Having heard that, the woman and man both broke into tears.

"I knew she wasn't like that!" The woman cried. The man tried to comfort her. "We are Justine and Fletcher Grief, we are loyal to you our dear princess. Please stay as long as you want." Shiro's eyes widened. Of course Noah looked at him confused.

"What?" He whispered in her ear what she said."Really?" She covered her mouth with her hands and secretly smiled. "Thank you…" She whispered.

After a short tour around the place, Noah decided she was tired. "I-Im tired Shiro." She got up to the room she would be staying. It looked much bigger on the inside than it did on the outside. She sat on the bed, "I'm not really tired, am I…" She looked at the open window and it's flowing curtains. "I wish to be like you… All light, flowing…. carefree." She walked up to the curtains in her nightgown, treading behind her. Clutching the curtain in her hands, she brought it to her face.

"Around the time the streets fall into a deep slumber and the darkness bewilders one's heart, I will lure you into the labyrinth of my body,

When did it all start? When we came to our senses, we've already come this far,

Let us sink to the bottom of a sinful sea forgetting about everything else.. " She sang, wanting to let go of all her worries. She looked out of the was beginning to look dark, the grass seeming moist and wet, she wondered how it would feel, tickling the bottom of her small feet. She looked down at her feet, her eyes slowly trailing up to the edge of the window. Taking one foot, she stepped up on the edge, one hand supporting her body, looking out into the town. "My...How pretty it looks.." She looked down. Not a long drop… Swinging the other leg in front of her, she was about to jump, and she did. For those few seconds, she felt like she was flying, her nightgown fluttering in the opposing winds. Stretching her hands out, to prevent her from hurting herself anymore than she would, she used her hands to propel herself into the air, landing back on her feet. Indeed did the moist grass tickle the undersides of her feet,she ran across the yard. "It's like I'm free!" She yelled, twirling in some steps, getting dizzy, then falling back down. Giggling, she stood up.

"What'chya doing here?" A figure stood before her. She realized she could hear it.

"S-Shiro?" He came closer. "S-Shiro?" She began to panic, not picking herself up. She was too afraid to know, she kneeled before her.

Slowly reaching out his hand, "Hey kiddo." She jumped a bit.

"Shiro! Don't scare me like that!" She sighed and leaned her head down.

"Sorry." He chuckled resting his hand on her head,ruffling it up a moved his hand off her head.

"Question is what are you doing here?" She looked up at him, scowling, ready to tell him he's lying.

"I followed you." She was about to say he was lying but, alas it was the truth. She pouted and got up.

"Im old enough to go outside by myself." She heavily breathed out before standing up.

"Its my job to accompany my princess wherever she is."She stood by her and bowed until they were the same height.

"But what if the-" She was cut off by Shiro telling them he already solved that. She huffed out once more. "Lets go then Shiro." She started running, she never felt so… so free. The grass caressed her feet, taking shape within every step she took. Shiro hurried behind her. She turned around, noticing he was having trouble. "Shiro! This is the only time I'll let you slack off, be more carefree!" She turned back around and ran, laughing, giggling, looking around, she tripped once, ruining her outfit a bit, but best of all she was smiling. It was a rare occasion she smiled, he made the best of it.

They sat down under a tree, all out of breath. "Shiro?"

"Yes princess?" He asked holding her in his lap so she doesn't get dirty.

"Can I sleep on you?" She asked, not looking at him. Her expression changed. No longer happy, but with a stern, unhappy face.

"Of course, Noah." She looked at him in surprise. "I-I mean princess!" She giggled at his fix-up.

"Its okay to call me Noah, you know. But I'll only allow you." She laid her head on his chest and began to drift off to sleep.

He swore he heard her mumble a bit. "R-Ranno…G-Get away from him…"... Every few seconds she had an outburst. "Kai! No!" It kept going. Sometimes she woke up and cried for a bit. She fell asleep soon after. "Irri, you dumbass…." The last thing he heard before she was quiet was, "D-Don't hurt Shiro Ranno…" Ranno? Who's that? He never heard of a name like that. Ranno… Sounds foreign. Just the sound of it lingered on the tip of his tongue. Ra-nno. Sounding it out, made him want to say it more. He said it in his head, not wanting to wake up Noah. Leaning back onto the tree, he tried to get up without waking her. Supporting her fully with one hand, he pushed himself up the his remaining hand. Putting his other hand back, he pushed her closer to his chest, trying to make the position as comfortable as possible for her. Looking up, the sky became dark, clouds ominous and scary, looking as if it were to pour any second.

Shaking her a bit, "Noah, Wake up for a second." She rolled her neck a bit and yawned then sitting up. He put her down and kneeled, his back facing her. "Get on my back, I'll carry you quicker this way." She did as he said and climbed on his back, wrapping her arms loosely around his shoulders while he supported her with his arms in back of him. Going back to grab his shoes he left, he then ran quickly, sprinting across the field. Lightly, Noah felt the rain hit the tip of her nose. Then one drop by one, the rain came down harder. He set her down and took off his jacket. "Hold this over your head. I wouldn't like the princess to be sick." He set the jacket over her head, covering her hair, and she climbed back onto his back. Setting off again, he ran towards the house they were staying at.

Click, Click, Click. The sounds of his footsteps became mesmerising.


	7. Chapter 7

Twas the middle of the night when she awoke.

"Shiro?" Looking to her left, she saw her painfully exhausted servant. "How did I.. Get he- Oh.. he must've carried me while I fell asleep by the tree.." Noah reminded herself what it looked like as she doubled over in pain, hand on her stomach. It was yearning for something. As if something were waiting for her there.

"I'm sorry.." she leapt off the window sill again, looking back at Shiro, hoping to find the place she ran off to yet again. She ran the path she thought she had at first, though now it was night and it was pitch black. She held her hand infront of her. Barely visible. _Rustle. _ A bush shook.

"I think.. i'm lost.." No where in her mind did she recollect an image of a bush. _Rustle._ She heard it again. Becoming more and more frightened with each step, she started to run. A second later, she heard what she thought was a string, releasing. Having fallen to the ground no idea why, she started to black out.

All she could remember was her echoing silence.

"Am I dead..?" She heard herself. "Where am I?" again.

A shadowed figure behind her wrapped her arms around her. "Don't worry dear. Mama will protect you.." At first the figures words, sweet, innocent, but by the end they sounded a bit.. distorted.

"Ma..ma?" she heard herself once again.

"Protect you," the figures words replayed in her mind, like a broken record. Though she hear in her head a mumble. "Uoy truh." What did that mean? she replayed it over and over, spelling out the words. Looking at it backwards, it said something she thought was weird. The words spelled out.. "hurt you."

"Yo-You're not mama!" Noah yelled. She tried crouching down, but found herself sitting in a chair.

She lifted her hands, tilting her head. Making a fist, she realized. No fingers. She blinked. Fingers. She rotated her hand in front of her face.. gone.

Scared, she blinked again. Still gone. "What did..you do!" She looked at the figure in horror, staring at the bucket beside her. There they were. The fingers of her own hands.

The shadowed figure caressed her face, "Don't worry." It touched her hair. Suddenly, she felt something cold pressed against the back of her neck. The shadowed figure pressed a knife to her. "What's one thousand minus ten?" Noah heard the figure say.

"Ni-Nine hundred..ninety." She looked back at her fingers. They had grown back as the figure caressed her head.

"You have an excellent regeneration speed, darling. Just what are you?" That's it. _I always asked who am I. How am I. I never asked..what. _"Don't worry." It grabbed something and held it to the light, captivated by its shine. Noah by then was able to identify what it was. Scissors. Grabbing her hand, the figure brought the scissors close to her fingers. _Snip. Snip. Snip._ "Count down."

"Nine hundred.. eighty nine.." She began to cry. Her nightgown soaked in tears. "Nine hundred..eighty eight." The shadow began to prepare something. "Nine hundred..eighty seven." The item dropped, some spilled on the floor. The smell of it stung her eyes slightly. Sniffing it, she figured it out. _Bleach._

"Nine hundred..-Hey, what do you plan on doing with that?"

"Keep counting." As soon as it picked up the bleach, it slathered the bleach messily onto her hair which she wet slightly before. Screaming, Noah moved around, the bleach stung as it got in her eye. She cried for what seemed like hours while the figure massaged the bleach into her hair. "Why are you doing this..?" The figure then washed off the bleach. It left her hair, not an auburn color, but a pure white.

**Authors Note: Sorry, I've been gone for a while. I updated today for you guys both a long and a short chapter. Have fun.**


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